"Bear calibers"

[JimmyHoffa]

I've got a sweet 45-70 I like packing around bear country, but I wouldn't hesitate to use my 30-06, may even try out my 6.5 creedmoor, I do prefer to put em down hard though, which means 45-70 for me.

I am researching a new gun right now though, thinking a 338 win mag, but not sold just yet

338 Win Mag is the classic elk rifle, with the new eld bullets its got punch out to 800 yards.   I have nearly identical .300 wm and .338 win mag rifles and for some reason the 338 seems to kick less, go figure. 

If I could only have one rifle it would be the 338 wm ( synthetic stock, good pad, no brake, 4-24 scope )

For bear though anything that reaches out to 1000 yards I would be fine with.

Faster bullet, faster powder, more powder

[jpharcher]

Mathews DXT 70# draw
or my 325 WSM
only the Mathews has had success.

[JoeE]

My last bear I killed with a 243.

[brew]

What is your "Bear caliber"? I'm using my savage 110 7mm Rem mag. No bear with it yet, but hopefully I will get one this fall since I struck out on spring bear

i use the 7mm rem mag also and have never had an issue.  i shoot factory 160 gr nosler partitions---they're a little spendy for a box but "silverado" prefers them... my gun is a stainless browning A-bolt with the synthetic stock and she just celebrated her 25th birthday.  as far as shot placement every bear i've shot (with the exception of 2) have been a double lunger and they've dropped like the rug was pulled out from underneath them.  one was quartering to me so i put the crosshairs at the base of his neck just in front of his forward shoulder and the bullet took out his far lung--dropped in his tracks.  another was quartering away from me and i hit him low in the heart and the bullet came out forward of his front off leg...he started jumping up and down like a frog and before i could rack another round in he was dead within 20 yards from where i shot him.  luckily so far i've never had to track a black bear.  my shot ranges have been as close as 25 yards over bait (when it was legal) to upwards of 300 yards.  .
good luck with the bear hunting as they are my favorite game to hunt

[cm2cb4]

Currently a 30-06 with 185 gr Berger bullets, but I got my eye on a 338 win mag (too much?)

[7mmfan]

Ya I know! But with bear that's where you wanna hit them in my opinion, I don't like tracking them

Oh you're 100% right. A double shoulder shot should anchor them most of the time regardless of the caliber, as long as you have a quality bullet.

[1972Pinto]

To me, I think the 338 is a bit much unless you hunt at longer ranges. I hunt the thick 113 and 105 units for bear. Sure you see them far away, but usually when I see them they are 100 yards or less. I feel like a 338 would certainly end up with a dead bear however most likely end up with alot of tissue destruction. Even a 30-06 up close is pretty nasty! I can't imagine the exit hole of a 338

[JDHasty]

I prefer a 45-70, but my 9.3X62 works just as well 

Me too

Shoot through w/the Hornady 350 RN was a concern though.  That bullet would carry all the way from the front shoulder out the rear ham.  But when I used to do a lot of bear hunting I really liked the Marlin 1895 SS. 

[Alchase]

I hit it in the shoulder and wasted almost all of the front shoulder. Now the 300 is just my range rifle. Too destructive for hunting

That is not the caliber as much as round placement.

I have never had excessive amounts of waste shooting a 300 WM or a 7MM.
I have also seen horrific waste from a .243 hit to the shoulder or ribs.

[1972Pinto]

It's hit or miss really. My younger brother shot his mule deer with a 243. Using 95 grain Federal fusions went thru both shoulders and out the far side. Dropped in its tracks and only about 6oz of bloodshot meat. I've heard the SST doesnt hold together very well. Maybe that was the issue.

[dmoua]

.243 or .308. They both do the job just fine.

[tgomez]

What is your "Bear caliber"? I'm using my savage 110 7mm Rem mag. No bear with it yet, but hopefully I will get one this fall since I struck out on spring bear

My father use to own a 7mm Mag in a Savage 110 with a fiberglass stock nicknamed "black death." He shot 10 bear with that rifle and many deer, elk, and coyote. My personal choice is my Remington 700 in 30-06 with 180 grain Core-Lokt ammo. Best of luck to you this year! I hope everyone gets to experience at least 1 bear in a lifetime. It's such a great animal to hunt and my favorite! Looking forward to September 😀👍

[Tiger1358]

Savage 111 Trophy Hunter in 300 Win Mag. You got the right caliber, shoots well, got a lotta power, and its maximum effective range is almost the same as 338 Lapua Magnum. 7mm rem mag rocks!

[Magnum_Willys]

30-06 mauser action with dbl set triggers.  Uncle used to show off for us kids with it by sticking a wood match in the middle of the hundred yard paper target then light it with the first shot and watch the target burn up.  Shoots dimes all day long.

[bearpaw]

Bear are tough critters, I think more wounded bear are never recovered than any other animal, a lot of the bear we get have been shot before and healed up, so it's not so much the size of the gun as it is hitting them well. Know that you will hit vitals or don't pull the trigger. Having said that, I do prefer larger calibers and/or lots of powder, but it's not necessary if you put the bullet where it belongs.